Face shield and respirator fitting are two different yet related and required tasks. As a manager, you must know the rules regarding safe work conditions. Similarly, understanding the basics of your mandatory requirements under the OSHA or other regulatory bodies is essential for the company’s good and your team’s health and safety.

In this guide, we will review the OSHA standards and requirements for face shields and, the more complex operation, respirator fitting. Similar criteria apply to Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries, but we’ll focus on the United States for the purposes of this guide (references for other countries to follow). Let’s jump in.

Types of Respirator Fitting Tests

When I first heard the term respirator fit testing, I thought it merely meant putting on a mask and seeing how it fits. Little did I know, right? It was like someone asked, “What is the ocean?” My summation was ‘water.’ There was no mention of the life, depths, salt, minerals, corals, or other fascinations that define what an ocean looks like—what it is.

As you already know, there are many different types of respirators. To better understand the process of fit testing, we need to define the types of fit testing (yes, there’s more than one type). 

Respirator Qualitative Fit Testing

There are two primary types of fit testing for respirators: Qualitative and Quantitative testing. We’ll start with Qualitative Fit Testing. First, let’s define its popularity (there’s a reason it’s first on our list).

Test Popularity

The majority of fit testing involves qualitative test measures. The test is simple to administer and uses the wearer’s sense of taste/smell to perform the test.

Respirator Types For Qualitative Fit Testing

Qualitative fit testing is typical for most respirator types used in most work settings, save for exceptional cases in particular industries like oil piping and specialized medical.

Here are some basic types of respirators that commonly face a qualitative fit test:

• N95 masks
• Half face respirators
• Full-face respirators with face shields

Who Can Do The Test?

Companies must adhere to regulations requiring a qualitative fit test by the respirator wearer and a qualified, certified fit tester. Given the extent of the use of this form of PPE, you can usually find these professionals in or in a relationship with local PPE and safety equipment sales companies. Most cities have local accredited professionals. 

See the frequency section below to determine when you need to do the qualitative fit testing.

Respirator Quantitative Fit Testing

Quantitative fit testing for a respirator is a specialized procedure that requires the use of a specialized machine. The machine measures the concentration of dust particles in the air and the concentration of dust particles that get into the respirator. When you take the two measurements and create a ratio with them, the result is called the fit factor.

Test Popularity Vs. Qualitative Fit Testing

Fit testing involving qualitative test methodology is much more common than quantitative test methodology. However, each has pros and cons; at the end of the day, we can sum the results as either subjective (wearer experience-driven) or objective (data-driven).

Respirator Types For Quantitative Fit Testing

According to an OSHA training video transcript, you can use quantitative fit testing for any tight-fitting respirator. They go on to explain how there are three accepted methods of quantitative fit testing for respirators:

1. Generated aerosol
2. Ambient aerosol
3. Controlled negative pressure

Respirator Fit Testing Frequency

Under code 1910.134 (OSHA), fit testing must occur before a team member uses the equipment at work. Also, the repeated frequency of repeat testing must occur annually.

The qualitative and quantitative fit testing methods require completion every two years in Canada. Similarly, you must repeat the qualitative fit test if the wearer receives an injury that produces a scar around the area of contact of a respirator seal. Other particular events require re-testing, including when the wearer grows facial hair.

Other Respirator Inspections During The Year

Once you have established a schedule for inspections of any long-term-use respirators at your facility or used by your teams, you need to develop shorter frequency inspections. 

That is to say; you need to establish a schedule for inspections that falls within the regulations of your region. Here’s an example provided on the CCOHS site:

Respirator Inspections Frequency

1. Before each use
2. After each use
3. During cleaning 

For less frequent use equipment, you need to designate whether you classify the equipment as emergency equipment or not. For example, let’s say you have an ammonia tank room as a part of your manufacturing facility. You might mount emergency respiratory equipment throughout your facility in case of an ammonia tank leak. That equipment might sit in encased emergency pods around the building with the hopes of never needing to use them. 

When we designate special equipment for emergency use, we tend to set and forget about them. But this equipment is vital for health and safety. A monthly recommended testing or inspection frequency is wise to perform and document at your facility.

Check out our downloadable respirator inspection template here when you need a tool for your respirator inspections.

Qualified Fit Test Professionals – Your Only Fit Testing Solution?

Currently, there is no designated certification for a fit tester. However, several courses are available to receive training for qualitative and quantitative fit tests. 

Generally, you can get an outside company to perform your annual fit tests. It’s also wise to use these companies because the cost of the fit testing equipment is not cheap, and you need to have a competent and trained person in your team. Not to mention the liability if the test is incorrect and misses a defect in a mask.

For these reasons, you may want to consider merely using the services of a PPE sales provider near you. Most companies that sell respirators offer respirator quantitative and qualitative fit testing services.

Best Tools For Respirator Fit Testing and Inspection Management

If we try to get to the root of the problems with most tools, we’ll still be here all day. 

To cut through to the point, the best tool for any manager in almost any industry is a robust reporting tool for inspections, incidents, and other situations requiring documentation.

You’re probably thinking, why would I care about a reporting solution if I get someone else to do the qualitative and quantitative fit testing? 

The reason you need to consider a reporting tool is the daily inspections of respirators that you must ensure are completed by your team each day. That is your responsibility and obligation to ensure the safety of your team.

1st Reporting – The Daily Respirator Inspection Documentation Tool For Field Or Office

Documenting a company’s various safety occurrences, inspections, and other items can be intimidating. Companies that include field crews amongst their ranks are particularly affected. Not to mention how rough industries like medical are regarding the amount of documented incidents. 

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a tool that lets you efficiently manage all of it? From daily respirator inspections to patient incident reports – the 1st Reporting app might be the solution you’ve been looking for. 

After all, if it’s good enough for professionals like police, government, and trade professionals like paramount security and medical firms, then maybe you should try it too.

Here are a few features that you’re really going to benefit from using the 1st Reporting app in your organization.

• Paperless, mobile reporting
• GPS and Report Position Management
• Platform Integrations Like Teams
• Customizable Template Builder
• Customizable Notification Scheduling
• Dynamic Template Functionality

Let’s look at how each of these items helps your respirator inspections and other documentation needs.

Paperless Mobile Reporting

Using a cloud-based and secure platform like 1st Reporting, you can leave paper reports in the past. Only print what you need when you need it and leave the rest in your virtual database for easy access by anyone you’ve permitted access. Save time and money without the printing fees with 1st Reporting.

GPS And Report Position Management

In the robust report management dashboard, you can easily use the map feature to show you the positions of all the reports submitted to the system. Use the GPS positioning to filter and fine-tune your results for easy locational management.

Platform Integrations Like Teams®

Does your organization use Teams®? Do you keep it in the background if a team member contacts you for assistance? 1st Reporting integrates with Microsoft Teams® so you can receive submission and other notifications from 1st, right inside your Teams® dashboard.

1st Reporting is available on Google Play, The Apple App Store, and here.

Customizable Template Builder

We may have a formidable template library, but you can build any specific checklist or template you need using the administrator’s custom template builder on your 1st account. It’s easy as drag-and-drop, and there’s a wide variety of field types to choose from, making it easy for you to make the reporting app of your dreams a reality.

Customizable Notification Scheduling

Did you know that the 1st Reporting app can notify you the moment a team member submits a chosen report? 

The feature allows you to indirectly manage team location and work completion by implementing safety checks throughout the day that do nothing if not keep your team working safely. 

You can customize your notifications to address the appropriate manager for the correct item, so nothing slips through the cracks again.

Dynamic Template Functionality

One of the most innovative and practical features of the 1st Reporting app is the ability to create dynamic templates. Let’s take a look at an example.

Acme Utilities is a massive power provider for Gotham City. Acme has hundreds of field technicians, all reporting in from various locations. Depending on the work required, these field crews use multiple types of respirators. 

The managers at Acme make the right choice and implement 1st as their reporting solution. Using a dynamic template, they create a template that works for all of their respirator types but changes based on the item chosen by the user. This way, the company can use a single template for all respirators yet customize the template based on the object the team member chooses. 

It is just a fictional example, but the application potential for your benefit is enormous. Give your reporting and documentation process of incidents, inspections, and more a gift of efficiency and make managing them that much easier. 

Try 1st Reporting today with a free trial to test the waters and see how incredible this application is for your organization’s reporting.